The way your face lights up

I love the way your face lights up
when I go to the supermarket for milk
and come back with two Kinder Eggs
and a bottle of wine

and I love the way you apologise
without actually saying anything
you’ll bake flapjacks
or buy red wine
or leave the door open when you’re having a bath
and it’s just your way of saying sorry
for not posting a letter you said you’d post
or for spilling red wine on the carpet

or for leaving the immersion heater on all night
and I’ve seen the way your face drops
when it starts to rain
or when you hear on the radio someone you like has died
like Heath Ledger
or Tony Hart
or when you’re on the phone to your brother
and your face drops

because you wish there was more you could do to help him
and I love the way your face goes red
like when I gave you a silver necklace
and you found out it cost a months wages
and you said ‘you shouldn’t be wasting your money’
but were thinking

‘that’s pretty fucking cool’
and I love the way your face freezes
like the portrait of The Scream
when you panicked that you’d left your purse on the bus
or were given change for a ten
when you’d paid with a twenty
or the look you give when you realise you’ve forgotten a friend’s birthday
and have to rush to Habitat
to buy a novelty photo frame

and I love the way your face looks when you’re concentrating
when we’re sat on the settee and your playing Braintraining
on Nintendo DS
and I love the way you roll your eyes
when you know that I’m not listening
when you’re telling me about your day
but I’m trying to listen to Factoids
on Steve Wright in the Afternoon
and I knew that you loved me
when I woke you up to say
‘Look at the beautiful sunrise’

and you told me to fuck off
and I realised for the first time we don’t have to try so hard
and I love the way your face sometimes lights up
when I walk into a room
and the way I can imagine your face lights up
when I phone to say
I’ll be home soon.